Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1887-01-13
SAVED sY soIeNcr
iiemarkabIe Surgical Feat Big !
cfnnati surgeon

Hemark able surgical fest By b ~
cfnnati surgeon
One of the rarest and most dan -
operations in the whole scope Of sllr s.
has lately been performed at the
.innati Hospital Ii consisted il
moving about three inches of the i.
bone and exposing the spinal cord.
patient was young colored man ii,
q years of age. When first adm;
TO the hospital he was suffering fro'
terrible disease which lad broken
over the head. neck aad back Il
form of large assesses. the chief an
which was about the middle 81
back, and had eaten away the backh7
to considerable extent. The poor
low could not lie in the recupl
posture nor on his side In conseou.
OF the extreme pain attending su<
position, and was compelled to IL
the while on his face. Slowly be
lost the power of motion and of 81,
ton in his legs, so that he was &
pletely paralyzed from the body do.
He could neither sit nor stand
could only move himself in bed *
! assistance. Thus terribly afflicted.
bore his suiferings with a fortis
worthy an older man than he. and
very cheerful withal Internal tre
ment had no effect whatever, and Il
1t became necessary to explore the
scesses. On puncturing the one on +
back some offensive pus escaped. Z
on introducing the finger the dead I
decayed bone could be plainly felt
was decided that his only chance
life lay in an operation for the remo1
Of part OF the backbone so as TO 81
the process Of decay The operas
and its dangers were laid before
Young man, and in the face of it ali
resolved 10 undergo the hazardous III
rs il was a choice between life +
death. He had wasted awav Il
mere skeleton, and his trembIir
emaclated form seemed scarcely a
TO endure such terrible ordeal.
The patient was placed on the al
and given ether until he was sound
asleep. He was then turned on T
face and the plucky surgeon made
incision right down ON the spine.
large quantity of pus was reveals
and the cavity was sponged out cas
fully in order TO see just where the kn|
was going. in this region where 8
slip of the knife or one false mo1
would have been fatal to the patti
the surgeon with chisel aud hamm{
went down on the bone until he
out all that which was in any way
fected. never touching the spinal con
There lay the white shining cord at 4
bottom Of the wound in all its pristil
beauty. and not a scratch rnarred Z
surface. The operator smiled vi
complaissance when he saw how nice
he had accomplished his purpose wit
out an evil. He had removed 4
cause OF the suppuration; hence the q
scess would disappear. He had al
removed the cause of the parslysl
and felt assured that power would nd
return to the paralyzed legs: an
more than all. he knew time wou1
accomplish the filing up Of
place where the bone had formed
been. The patient reacted from 1
ether aud was placed in bed on his FAD
In three days motion returned TO
legs, and he was able to move bis ID
the first time in nearly rear AboI
the same time sensation began 10
turn in the limbs In about three wed
he could bear some weight ON his LED
and at this time he assumed the pol
ton on his breast and knees which
has kept ever since. In this strand
posture he sleeps for hours. seeming
as well as the other patients about hiu
He at length became strcng enough +
stand, with assistance. and take std
or two. He is now able to walk TO q
end of the ward and sit down IN a chsl
with comfort. Of course his back is y
weak, and probably never will regal
its former power. but he viii be as
full man. The wound has gradual
closed up, leaving only slight sea-
and causes him litt@ or no pain U
appetite has returned and he eats
much as laboring man. and is fat a
hearty. Through it all he has reiait
this irksome position and subieess
himself to the frequent examination q
dressing of the wound without VOC
His hardy courage and iron will are
be admired, and the surgeon who u
braved death with the knife. for his
low-cfeature NAV feel justly proud
HE s,,..no-s